


just friends (friends know how you taste)

by huemor



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: College AU, F/M, I love this pairing, bucky/wanda needs to happen, no beta we die like men, stevenat if you squint, winterwitch - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2020-06-28 17:04:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19816681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/huemor/pseuds/huemor
Summary: He turned around, his back facing her, trying not to fidget uncomfortably at the rustling sound of clothes. Yes, they were comfortable with each other, but this was a new level of comfort. So he stood there, trying not to think about the softness of her hair, the softness of her cheeks, or the plumpness of her lips that he’s imagined ki…No, no. Stop whatever it is you’re thinking, Barnes, he thought to himself, think of unicorns, rainbows, Sam in a tutu.(best friend & college au winterwitch no one asked for)





	just friends (friends know how you taste)

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this based off a writing prompt a year ago and completely forgot about it till i opened my writing prompts document lol anyway here's one of my fave ships! 
> 
> wp: "Kiss me like I'm him."

There was someone knocking on his door.

Bucky grumbled, sitting up from his bed and rubbed his eyes in confusion. His phone beside him vibrated continuously. Looking at his bedside table, the clock showed 2:54 am, which he groaned. Their preliminary exams just ended and just when he was finally able to get some sleep, someone was disturbing him. Taking the civil engineering course was already hard enough but, adding in extracurricular sports were making him pretty busy. Add in his social life, it’s a given fact that he’s the guy who gets zero rest.

Not even bothering to put a shirt on, he got up and went to answer the door. Just when he was about to yell at the person knocking, the sight of her got the words to die in his mouth. There stood Wanda, with mascara stained cheeks, messy hair and eyes full of tears. There was a blur of brown hair that knocked the oxygen out of him. His arms automatically encircled around the sobbing mess of a girl, as he gently kicked the door close. He stood still as she trembled in his embrace, a series of cries escaping her mouth. His chest tightened at the sound; it wasn’t like he hadn’t heard her cry but, after having drinks with Steve a few weeks ago, he was slapped by the fact that he was in love with the girl in his arms.

It wasn’t an overprotectiveness of a father-like figure when his fists clenched at the sight of her laughing with that guy, Vision. It wasn’t a love of a brother when he would watch her play the guitar with a smile on her face, fondness blossoming in his chest. It wasn’t just a love of a best friend when making sure that she was being fed and taken care of when she was sick was more important than hanging out with his friends. He was falling in love with Wanda Maximoff, the person who stood by him through thick and thin. Stroking her hair with the same rhythm he always did when she was sad, he tried not to think about the possible bad things that could’ve happened.

When she finally calmed down, he guided her but, her knees had given away. Holding her up with his one arm wrapped around her waist, he took her chin and tilted it up, looking into her eyes.

“Hey, I’m going to take you upstairs okay?” He murmured, searching the sparkle in her eyes. He found none. She slowly nodded, the empty look in her eyes unwavering.

Bucky sighed and held her, slowly walking upstairs to his room. Pushing the door open with his other arm, they entered the dimly lit room, his bed unmade from earlier. He settled her on the edge of her bed, taking off the heels she wore. Wanda flinched when her shoes dropped on the floor, making him mutter a small ‘sorry’ under his breath. He looked up to her and held her hand in his, his heart breaking at the sight of the fragile girl.

“He told me I was just a toy,” Wanda whispered, quietly yet, loud enough for him to comprehend. A heavyweight rested on his chest at her words. “What we had was just a game, Wan.” She quoted, her voice cracking in the end.

Holding her hand tightly, he felt his heart broke with her. “It’s okay,” He mumbled, placing his lips over their intertwined hands, “We don’t have to talk about it.”

Wanda simply squeezed back and looked him in the eye, trying hard to give him a smile. _You look more beautiful when you smile_ , he remembered telling her, _so don’t frown. I don’t like seeing you sad._

He remembered her laughing in reply, her cheeks rosy and smile wide, just like the first time he met her, but the person in front of him was not that girl. That girl was inside and the one out was the one he didn’t want. No, not that he didn’t want the girl’s flaws or anything, it was just heartbreaking. To see the girl who always wants the best for everybody, who always tries the hardest to make everyone smile, hurt and devastated with the words a good for nothing asshole told her. 

“I saw him making out with a sorority girl at the party. Natasha tried to stop me from getting close to him. Steve told me he’s bad news,” She continued, and god, as much as he wanted to trail the asshole, he couldn’t. “Everyone told me he wasn’t serious, and I was so stupid to believe that it was true. That what we had was true.”

The tears were shed once again, leaving a trail of wet patches on her cheeks. He automatically pulled her into his embrace, running his hands on her hair and back, comforting Wanda with all he could. After all, this was all he could do right now. _Sometimes people don’t need someone to talk to, just someone to listen to_ , he remembered her telling him, in the drive-in they both always go to, with _Grease_ playing on the background and barbecue flavored popcorn in between the two of them.

“I’m sorry.” He muttered in her hair, her fists clenching on his back. It stings slightly, with her long nails but, he didn’t care.

“Why didn’t you stop me?” She whispered, making him stiffen in surprise. The hand that’s been brushing her back stilled as Wanda pulled away from him. Her eyebrows were furrowed as she wiped the tears with the back of her hand, making him stand up.

Bucky looked away, scratching the back of his neck. “Should I have stopped you? You were happy, Wan. I’m not the—“

“Don’t.” She said, biting her lip, “I am happy, with everyone, with you, with Nat. Every single one of you guys makes me happy. They all tried to stop me from getting attached with him, but you didn’t say anything…It’s like you didn’t even care.”

Biting his lip, he can’t help but sigh. “I care, Wanda. More than you’ll ever know.”

“Then, why didn’t you stop me?”

“Would you have listened?”

There was a moment of silence before she replied, “Yes.”

His heart stopped at her words. 

“Why?”

He could see her shrug at his peripheral sight, “You’re Bucky.”

Fully turning to look at her, he raised an eyebrow. Yes, he was one of those guys with actual discipline, knowing when to have fun or not. He was known to be a good guy but, how is that logical with her answer? He almost wanted to chuckle, the Wanda he knows had shown herself with that answer. After all, she always made him confused.

“Oh, no no!” She exclaimed, the elephant in the room forgotten for a moment, “It’s not that I’m saying that you’re some kind of philosopher or moral compass but, I guess you’ve always had a good judgment on the character.”

His eyes soften at her answer, and crouched in front of her, “I didn’t have the heart to tell you that he’ll just break your heart.”

She scoffed at him, “You told me when we were sophomores that the reason why Brock Rumlow kept on approaching me was because of the fact that he just wanted to get in my pants.”

“That’s different!” He protested.

“No, it’s not!”

“It is!”

“It’s not, and you know that’s true. I’ve been friends with you for years now, we even got into the same college. You always told me what’s up with the guy I’ll be crushing on and turn out to be true about it.” She said, pulling her legs up to her chest, “You’ve always known what’s best for me. And Vision was not the best for me, Bucky.”

He sighed, “I know.” 

“Then why didn’t you say anything?”

“It’s different.”

Her voice was quiet and confused, “What’s different?”

“We’re in college?” He blurted out like an idiot he is. The clock on his bedside table now held the numbers 3:15 am. Thank god it was a weekend, it would’ve been a pain in the ass to stay awake in one of his classes. 

“That’s not reasonable enough and you know it.” She pushed back and stretched her legs on his bed, the subject momentarily dropped. He watched as she settled herself on his bed, sitting up by his headboard before perking up and dragged herself to his drawers, and pulled out a sweater— the sweater she said that was her favorite.

Then she turned to him, with a raised eyebrow, an expression he was used to when he would challenge her. He raised an eyebrow back, a grin forming on his lips, and when it did, she rolled her eyes at his obliviousness or, should I say, denseness (oh, the irony).

“I’m going to change,” She said slowly as if he was a child, an amused glint in her eyes, “Turn around.” He flushed in embarrassment, oddly relieved that the old Wanda was showing through.

He turned around, his back facing her, trying not to fidget uncomfortably at the rustling sound of clothes. Yes, they were comfortable with each other, but this was a new level of comfort. So he stood there, trying not to think about the softness of her hair, the softness of her cheeks, or the plumpness of her lips that he’s imagined ki…

_No, no. Stop whatever it is you’re thinking, Barnes_ , he thought to himself, _think of unicorns, rainbows, Sam in a tutu._

Suddenly, there was a something thrown on his bare back, the cloth making a sound of _smack_ as it made contact to him. If there was something Wanda Maximoff did, it was sending a message without speaking. And when he turned around, he saw her all bundled up in his bed, with his sweatshirt on. There was something inside of him that almost yodeled in fondness. God, she looked good in his clothes.

“So, you’re done crying for now?” He said, clearing his throat as he climbed on his bed, sitting right beside her. Wanda automatically curled up to his chest as his arm wrapped around her shoulders in instinct.

“I suppose I am.” She said, drawing circles with her finger on his stomach, “I’m actually more hurt over the fact that I got played, rather than being heartbroken over him.”

“I thought you—“

“—liked him? I did, but—“

“—not enough.” He finished, his heart banging on his chest. He felt her nod on his chest, her breathing slightly touching his skin. This was normal, cuddling, staying over at each others apartment. They’ve been doing this for years, but now it was different. It felt different, not because they were both in college or have matured enough, it was because of the realization of his feelings.

The coldness of her hands that once made him cringe now created goosebumps on his skin. The voice that once made him groan in annoyance became a lullaby that he always wanted to hear. The clothes she stole from him now fitted her perfectly, instead of looking like a weirdo he always called her. There was a shift in their universe; everything has changed now.

She snapped her fingers in front of him, making him escape the reverie he found himself in, “Are you okay?”

“Do you want a distraction?” He blurted out almost nonchalantly. God, he _hated_ his big mouth sometimes.

Her head snapped up, eyes wide and gaped at him in surprise, “What do you mean?”

Slightly surprised himself, he gathered up the courage and placed his hands on her face, his thumb brushing over her lips. Her eyes were looking into his, trying hard not to drop at his lips. There was a certain look of fondness and anxiousness, something he was sure that reflected his own. He waited for her to resist, for her to slap him on his chest and tell him to stop joking. Maybe, she saw the seriousness and sincerity behind his words. This was the first time ever he had his control snapped. (Surely, it’s because of the sweater she now wore) (Or the smudged lipstick that now painted her lips) (But, _really_ , her presence is enough to make him snap.)

”Distraction,” he muttered as his eyes dropped to her lips, “Kiss me like I’m him, Maximoff.”

Threading on thin ice, Bucky inched closer to her, taking in the fullness of her lips and the flushed cheeks he held in his hands. She met him halfway, a feather-light brush. A kiss that was not entirely erratic or gentle, just something that made the two hearts in the chilled room beat in sync. He kissed her like she was the one thing that was right in his life and she was; the wind, the spark, the oxygen he breathes. She can make hell feel like home.

It was then he realized how heavenly it was to have the entire world in your arms, in your hands, not spilling through your fingertips. And he wanted her to himself, but also knew that Wanda is a woman who stands on her own and is an individual who can kick his ass. He decided, that whatever happens after this, he would stay by her side no matter what. 

She stopped moving, yet kept her lips on his, a smile forming her lips as he lets out a frustrated sound at the back of his throat, “Took you long enough, Barnes.” She muttered, before kissing again.

_Thank god for his big mouth._


End file.
